Headlight for locomotives.



. No. 721,235. PATEN'I'ED FE-B. 24, 1903, H. REIGH & 0. MTOOATE.

HEADLIGHT FOR LOCOMOTIVES; APPLICATION FILED F513,. 5, 1902.

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UNITED STATES:

PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN REIOH AND ORIN MQOOATE, or DES MoINEs, IOWA.

-H EADLlG HT FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 721,235, dated February24, 1903.

Application filed February 6, 1 902. Serialllo. 92,678. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, HERMAN REIOH and do hereby declare the following tobe a full,-

clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in headlights, and moreparticularly to ,headlights for locomotives and mechanism for operatingthe same to throw the light at all times along the track whether thelocomotive be rounding acurve or on a straight track, the object of theinvention being to provide simple and efficient means of this characterwhich will insure the best results. and at the same time withstand theexposure to the elements to which it is necessarily subjected.

With this object in view the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, aswill be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partly in section,illustrating our improvements. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in section;and Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are views of various details ofconstruction.

1 represents the forward end of a locomotive-boiler, or, more correctlyspeaking, the smoke-box, on which our improved headlight is mounted, aswill now be explained.

Supported on suitable legs 2 is a circular platform 3, having a centralcircular pocket 4 to receive a similarly-shaped enlargement 7 on arectangular plate 5 of sufficiently greater diameter than the platformto entirely cover the latter, and is provided on its lower face with acircular flange 6, overlapping theedge of theplatform 3 to prevent theentrance of water and dirt between them to interfere with the perfectoperation of the headlight. The enlargement 7 is revolubly mounted inpocket 4, and the latter and enlargement are of sufficient depth toprevent lateral movement of plate 5, on which the lamp-casing 8 issecured and which contains the track.

a lamp or burner of any approved construction and operation.

a On platform 3, arranged in circular formation, are tracks or runways 8for roller-bearings 9, corresponding runways being provided on the lowerface of the upper plate '5, and said tracks or runways on platform 3 arein the form of a series of inclined planes. In other Words, the lowestpoints of the tracks or runways are diametrically opposite to each otheron the plate or platform 3 and the highest points are midway between thelowest. The tracks on the upper plate 5 are all disposed in the samehorizontal plane, so that when the upper plate, With the lamp-casingthereon, is moved it will be slightly elevated, owing to the balls 9,which are of varying sizes, according to their positions on theinclines, thus moving the balls up the inclines of the track, so that itwill be seen the tendency of the lamp is always to return to its normalposition and the resistance to its turning aflorded by the inclines willserve to prevent vibration and jar. At the highest points of the lowertracks rollers 7 a are mounted in recesses in platform 3 and arenormally located in semicircular depressions in the upper plate 5 toassist in steadying the lamp, and when the latter is turned the upperplate will revolve rollers 7 while moving away from or back to itsnormal position,with the lamp throwing the light straight ahead.Stop-blocks 7 b are provided at thelowest points of the tracks 8 tospace balls 9 apart, and the upper track is'enlarged, as at 7 just abovethis stop-block andinclines upward at each end, so that the lamp isduring the greater portion of the time almost entirely supported on thelargest balls 9 and rollers 7 and the weight is only transferred to, orrather a portion of the weight is transferred to, the other balls whenmoving up or down the inclines of To further insure the steadiness ofthe lamp and assist in returning it to a'position to throw the lightalong the straight track, we may provide a series of lovers 25, pivotedbetween their ends, having weighted lower ends and their upper endsprojecting through openings in top plate 5. The movement of the plate 5and lamp will therefore swing the levers, the weighted lower endsthereof serving to steady the lamp and assist in preventing jar andvibration. The enlargement 7 on top plate 5 is made with an integralspindle 7 or has the same secured thereto and projects through thecenter of pocket 4 and has a coiled spring 11 mounted thereon below thepocket to assist in holding the upper plate and lamp steady, and saidspindle 7 is made angular to enter an angular socket in the center of across-bar 12, secured on the spindle and disposed horizontally andlocated at a point between the lower lamp-platform and thelocomotive-boiler or smoke-box.

Secured on opposite sides of the boiler and partially extending aroundthe same are tubes 13, open on their inner faces and secured to theboiler by means of screws passed through ears 14 on the ends of thetubes and into the boiler. In both of these tubes 13 a series of groovedrollers 15 are supported to revolve and have mounted thereon flexiblerods 16, the upper ends of which latter are connected by chains 17 withthe ends of the cross-bar 13 and passed around pulleys 18, mountedbetween metal strips 19, secured to the boilertop by screws and bolt, asshown. The lower portions of these rods 16 which project below tubes 13are made in sections and connected by turn-buckles 19 to permitadjustment of the rods and also serve as stops to protect the lamp frominjury if the truck should leave the track, as will be hereinafterexplained. Metal plates 20 are secured to the locomotiveframe and areperforated to permit the free passage of the rods 16, but not largeenough to permit the turn-buckle to pass. To the lower ends of rods 16below plates 2O chains 21 are secured and pass around pulleys 22,

secured by brackets 23 to the locomotiveframe and are connected at theirother ends to diagonallydispos'ed rods 25. These rods 25 cross eachother and are connected by strong coiled springs 26 with bolts or pins27 on the forward part of the locomotive-truck, so that as the truckturns in rounding a curve motion will be transmitted to the headlight toturn the same. If the truck should leave the track, the plates 20 willpermit the headlight to be moved only just so far, as the turnbuckles 19will strike against the plates 20 and limit the movement of the rods 16,hence compelling the springs 26 to compensate for the changed positionof the truck.

The operation of our improvements is as follows: When the locomotivestrikes a curve of the track, the truck will of course be turned,andthis motion is transmitted through the medium of rods 16, as aboveexplained, to turn the spindle 7, thus turning upper plate 5 and thelamp thereon to throw the light around the curve and holding and turningthe lamp according to the radius of the curve. This turning of plate 5and lamp causes the balls to be moved up the inclines of the track orrunways, afiording resistance to the movement of the lamp and preventingthe sudden jars and vibrations, as above explained. When the locomotivehas turned the curve and again emerges on the straight track, therighting of the truck will be communicated to the lamp and the latterwill throw the light straight ahead, as before.

Various slight changes might be resorted to in the general form andarrangement of the several parts described without departing from thespirit and scope of our invention, and hence we would have it understoodthat we do not wish to limit ourselves to the precise details set forth,but consider ourselves at liberty to make such slight changes andalterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with the truck of a car, a body thereon, and aheadlight, of suitable connections between the headlight and the truckfor turning said headlight, and means interposed in said connections forautomatically varying their length in unison with the independentmovements of the car-body and car-truck.

The combination with a vehicle-body, a truck for the same, and aheadlight carried by said body, of suitable connections between saidtruck and headlight, and means interposed in said connections forautomatically varying their length in unison with the independentmovements of the vehicle-body and its truck.

3. The combination with a car-truck, a body thereon, and a headlight, ofsuitable connections between said truck and the headlight, springsinterposed in said connections, and turn-buckles also interposed in saidconnections for the purpose of tensioning the same.

4. The combination with a car-truck, a body thereon, and a headlight, ofsuitable connections between the headlight and truck for turning saidheadlight, spring-tensioned connections, and turn-buckles therein,between the truck and headlight, and means for supporting saidconnections from the car-body.

5. In a headlight, the combination of a platform having a series ofinclined runways for roller-bearings, a lamp-base havinghorizontally-disposed bearings for said roller-bearings, and means forturning the lamp.

6. ha headlight, the combination of a platform having a series ofoppositely-inclined runways, antifriction-rollers resting therein, alamp-casing the base of which rests on said rollers, and means forturning the lamp-casmg.

7. In a headlight, the combination of a platform having a plurality ofpairs of oppositelyinclined runways, antifriction-rollers in eachrunway, a lamp-casing, the base of which rests on said rollers, andmeans for turning the lamp-casing.

8. In a headlight, the combination of a platform having a plurality ofpairs of oppositelyinclined grooves therein, antifriction-balls ofdifferent sizes in each groove, a lamp-casing the base of which rests onsaid balls, and means for turning said casing.

9. In a headlight, the combination'of a platform having a plurality ofpairs of oppositelyinclined grooves therein, antifriction-balls ofdifferent sizes in each groove, a lamp-casing, the base of which restson said balls, and is provided with depending enlargements each of whichlatter normally rests between the balls of its respective pair ofoppositelyinclined grooves, and means for turning said lamp-casing.

10. In a headlight, the combination with a platform having inclinedgrooved runways, rollers mounted in said grooved runways, of alamp-casing having runways on its base supported on said rollers, acentral pocket in the platform, an e'nlar'gemen't'depending from thebase of the lamp-casing and mounted to revolve in the pocket, and meansfor turning said enlargement. I

11. In a headlight, the combination with a platform having a centralpocket,'of inclined runways arranged in circular formation on theplatform, rollers on the runways, a plate adapted to support a lamp andhaving runways on its lower face to rest on the balls or rollers, anenlargement located in the pocket in the platform, a spindle on saidenlargement projecting through the bottom of the pocket, a spring forholding the enlargement down in the pocket, counterweighted lovers to bemoved by the upper plate and means for turning the spindle.

12. In a headlight, the combination with a platform having a series ofinclined runways for balls thereon, of rollers mounted in recessesbetween said inclined runways, stops at the lower points of saidrunways, balls of varying sizes on the runways, and alampsupportingplatehavinghorizontally-disposed runways located on theballs.

13. The combination with a locomotive and a headlight mounted toturn'thereon, of a spindle projecting down from the headlight, across-bar secured thereon, tubular casings secured on opposite sides ofthe boiler, rods passing through said casings, flexible means connectingthe upper ends of said rods with respective ends of the cross-bar, andflexible connection between the lower ends of said rods and therespective sides of the locomotiVe-truck.

14:. The combination with a locomotive and a headlight mounted to turnthereon, of a spindle projecting down from the headlight, a cross-barsecured on the spindle, tubular casings secured on opposite sides of thelocomotive-boiler, rollers in said tubular casings, curved rods in thecasings and mounted on the rollers, chains connecting the upper ends ofthe rods and ends of the cross-bar and passed around pulleys, means forlimiting the downward movement of the rods and elastic connectionbetween the lower ends of said rods and the locomotive-truck.

15. The combination with a locomotive and a headlight mounted to turnthereon, of a spindle depending from the headlight, a crossbar on thespindle, rods connected at their upper ends with the respective ends ofsaid cross bar and extending around opposite sides of thelocomotive-boiler, turn-buckles on said rods, plates secured on thelocomotiveframe and perforated to receive the rods below theturn-buckles but limit the downward movement of the latter, pulleys alsomounted on said frame, chains secured to said rods and passed around thepulleys, diagonallydisposedrods crossing each other and connected at oneend to the last mentioned chains, and coiled springs connecting theother ends of said last-mentioned rods with the locomotive-truck.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

HERMAN REIOH. QRIN M. OOATE.

Witnesses:

J G. TATE, CALVIN HICKS.

